The Killer Inside Her
by Kevin Joe Bays
Summary: In the dark, on the roof tops, she lays in wait. Her target is not going to survive the night. (rated pg for killings. Formally known as 'Assassin')


Please feel free to read and review.   
  
Chapter 1version 1.1status: unknown  
  
The air was chilly and nipped at her nose. She was currently scaling the side of the commerce building to get a better vantage point. As she took another step, her knee slipped. Thankfully she caught her self or she would have fallen a good hundred feet to her death.  
  
'Damn it, if I could just get Ranma to teach me that Umi-sen-ken, I could be done by now. But no... It's a forbidden technique... Sealed away for the good of all humanity... That jerk just doesn't want to help me for free. If I could just figure out what he really wants...'  
  
Her journey upward continued, thankfully without any further slips. Soon, she was able to pull herself up.  
  
Once on the roof, she removed her back pack and removed the weapon case from inside. Carefully, she opened it up and removed the three piece set. Her weapon was a scientifically perfect rifle, created with computers and machines. Not one human hand touched it until it was removed from the final packaging.  
  
Of course all this simply meant it was an expensive piece. She got it from one of her clients she worked for years ago. The weapon reminded her of the first big job. Tonight was also a big one, just like the night she got it. One of the top politicians of Japan in fact. Someone didn't like some of the promises he'd made and now, she was there to make sure he'd never live to fulfill his dreams.  
  
She looked over the edge of the skyscraper and spotted the press stand that her target would make his next speech from. A glance at her watch told her it would only be five more minutes until ShowTime.  
  
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He felt hot and wiped his brow.  
  
"Damn it, can I get a cup of water?" Shoji wasn't a fool. He knew his message wasn't popular. He'd even gotten wind that someone put a hit out on him. At first, he thought nothing of it, but he found a letter at his house that made it clear to him. Someone didn't want him to make it.  
  
"Here you go. God, you look like shit. You still want to go through with this announcement tonight?"  
  
"I have to. I mean, this might be my last night before my enemies start sending snipers my way.  
  
"Snipers... I know you think your some big stuff, but frankly, I think your getting a head of yourself. First people have to have proof that your not just saying great things to say them. A lot of politicians say a lot of stuff that they never intend to do."  
  
"The difference here is that I really am going to do the things I've said. I did my homework long before I ran. Now that I'm here, I can't waste a single day."  
  
"It's time!" One of the assistants yelled. Shoji swallowed hard and tried to think happy thoughts.  
  
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For the third time in the last minute, she checked her weapon.   
  
'Safety off, scope aligned, ammo loaded... Damn it, get out here so I can pop you and get home!' Just as this thought raced through her mind, movement from below caught her attention. She looked through the scope and saw what she'd been waiting for. 'Now, the question is... Should I do you here or wait until you get to the podium?...'  
  
This wasn't really a question as much as an inside joke to her. A lot of her associates joked that she tended to make the hit way to fast, causing people to wonder if it was a hit or if the guy came out that way.  
  
Her finger tensed while her palm relaxed. She breathed deep and let it out through her nose. Once the breathe was out, she released her grip on the handle and pulled her finger towards her. It slide into the trigger and just as the hammer struck, she closed her eyes. There was a brief pop, quickly followed by screams and shouts.  
  
'Ok girl, it's time to fly!' She turned and ran toward the edge and leaped off. In her left hand, she squeezed an odd device gently until it started to glow. Soon the glow surrounded her entire body. Soon her decent began to slow until she was hovering in place.  
  
'Now, I just got to get down to the ground before my energy runs out...' The device in her hand was a chi driven  
  
she'd found a long time ago while searching the Cat Cafe. It was part of the reason she'd been nicknamed the ghost-killer by the press, but she liked to believe it was only part of the reason.  
  
The flight to the ground didn't take her long and she landed right next to her Porche 911. Once she'd stowed her gear, she hoped in the drivers seat and pealed off.  
  
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The next day, Nabiki picked up the paper and read the head lines.  
  
"Shoji Made Big Mark!" in bold lettering.  
  
'I'll say... I didn't realize a man like him would have so much to splatter...'  
  
"Morning." A male voice called out to her. Nabiki turned to face her husband.  
  
"Morning Hibiki-chan. How's my man doing this morning?" She wrapped her arms around Amawa and squeezed him.   
  
"Oh, I'm great." he said as the two Eskimo kissed. "I can't believe how my life's changed since I've meet you."  
  
"I know what you mean. Well, I'm going to do some chores. You have a good day at work."  
  
"You know I will. I love teaching those kids almost as much as I love you."  
  
"I know that. It makes me a bit jealous to have to share you with a bunch of middle school kids." The two continued to hold each other close until Nabiki finally let go.   
  
She watched her husband leave and wondered how long it could all last. She'd sinned in the worst way she could think to do and worst of all, she didn't regret it at all. The only thing she didn't like to think about was how her family would look at her if they ever found out.   
  
'None of them would understand, but that's all right. I'm fine with what I do. I mean, all we really do in this world is live to die right?'  
  
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It had been building inside her since her mothers death. A blatant disregard for life itself. It started off as nothing more then trying to piss of a martial artist that was capable of tearing down a building with a single strike. Her ability to look at him at his angriest and not blink an eye helped her form and maintain her perfect version of the soul of ice.  
  
This disregard took a new low when she found herself standing over the dead body of an intruder she'd just cut up. The blood flowed all over the floor and it was even on her hands. Instead of freaking out, which would have been normal, she simply went to the bathroom and washed her hands, letting her sisters make the call for an ambulance and the police. She was scared. Scared because taking that life actually made her feel more then she'd felt in a long time. For once, those emotions were not faked for the benefit of others.  
  
She longed to feel again, but knew she couldn't just start killing. No matter how it made her feel, she'd never become a serial killer just for the heck of it. After all, she had a family that depended on her to bring home the bread. So, she chose to spend her free time at the local firing range, pretending that her targets were real people.  
  
At first, it worked. She felt that rush, but it didn't last as long and soon, it didn't work anymore. The paper just wasn't right. She had to experience that rush, at least once more. Just to feel that power over life and death. With all the years she'd given to her family, she deserved to feel something right?  
  
Late at night, she spotted her next victim. An American that was in Japan for business. She could just hear the scandal. Wealthy American slain. Killer still on the lose. However, she wasn't just going to pop him. She first decided to study him. Soon she knew where he stayed and where he liked to go each day. She knew his pattern and picked the perfect time. In the morning when he went to get his breakfast.  
  
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John walked to his favorite resturant and ordered his favorite breakfast. He was enjoying life even though he wasn't exactly like in Japan. It took a lot of his money to turn the right heads just to get in. Unfortunatly, his money wasn't convincing enough to have the bounty on his head removed, but that's what you get when you piss off one of the wealthiest families in asia.  
  
He wasn't worried though. He was far from the land that the bounty was placed on him and the police weren't going to bother him after his pay offs.  
  
All he really had to do was enjoy being alive.   
  
'After tonight, I'll be the richest man alive.'  
  
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She waited in the still dark ally, arms reach away from the sidewalk her target frequently walked. Just like clock work, he showed and her arms reached out and muffled him. Fear seeped into his eyes. He wondered why. Nabiki simply pulled out her knife and made the kill quick.  
  
In her veins, her blood sang. She tried to suppress a feeling of satisfaction. It was life and death came for life all the time. It wasn't supposed to be this exciting, but it was. And this made her wonder briefly if something was wrong with her. That thought didn't get far and she came back to reality. Her escape was remarkably easy. No more then twenty-four hours later, the news ran a story about the American. To her surprise, her target was wanted dead or alive for crimes against the government and there had been a one hundred thousand dollar reward on his head.  
  
'He must have paid quiet a lot to keep the police from taking him down themselves.'  
  
Then it hit her, she could have fulfilled two of her desires at once if she had known this. Why hadn't she? It made so much sense that it frightened her. She went up to her room and logged on to the internet. Soon she found the police database of all the criminals in the Tokyo area that they wanted caught one way or the other.  
  
Her first hit for hire came when she noticed that one of the school teachers was on the list. He was wanted for several killings of innocent children. And here he was surrounded by potential victims. She found him after a week long search. It turned out he'd gotten some plastic surgury to alter his face. Guess she'd found another wealthy man. Too bad for him, his wealth couldn't save him from her.  
  
The price on his head was more then enough to pay off the debts from the last failed wedding attempt and best of all, like usual, no one would ask how she did it as long as she did do it.  
  
Latter that day, she took care of the problem teacher and made the call. Soon, the police arrived and gathered the information from her. When they finally left, she took the check they left with her and starred at it for hours. She had her third taste of power. And this one felt even better then the last one. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know why either. This time, she'd known that she couldn't get in trouble because of it. It came guilt free, so she could enjoy it completely.  
  
Life for death. It was all she'd ever saw. We all lived to die and no one could stop it. One day, death would come for her, but until then, the Ice Queen would feel alive. She would have that power and that control. It was all that mattered to her and it called to her.  
  
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Months later, her hit count was much higher. She'd bagged almost thirty of Japan's most wanted criminal elements and made a small fortune. Her wealth was growing so much, she'd started thinking about expanding the Tendo compound.  
  
Her mind went over the plans like it always did while she waited for her next hit to leave the bar. She prepared to make her latest kill when she felt a gun barrel rest on the back of her head.  
  
"Don't move a muscle. Your under arrest for unauthorized bounty hunting." Her mind froze. In all the fun she'd been having, she'd forgotten the simplest thing. "Now, come with me. We have much to discuss."  
  
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She sat in the office on the top floor of the Tokyo police headquarters.  
  
"Seems like you've been busy. I wonder how you managed to get so many hit before we noticed you."   
  
"I don't know. You tell me Mr..."  
  
"Yes, I'm being rude aren't I. My name is Kozo Karnio."  
  
"Mr. Karino, what's a gal have to do to become a licensed Bounty Hunter?"  
  
"For starters, get one before she starts killing every known criminal in the area. Your in a lot of trouble."  
  
"Even though everyone was wanted?"  
  
"Yes. There's a reason we license Bounty Hunters Miss Tendo. It's because they are insured by the government. If you kill an innocent in the line of duty, get injured, or something else happens, we cover your butt and ours with it. Without that license, your just a nut with a gun... Or knife in your case," he noticed she didn't look well. He decided it was time to tell her about their plea arrangement. "How about this. Looking over your record, I can safely say, your good. Real good. So, we'll cut you some slack, but your going to have to do community service for us for the next five years."  
  
"Community service?"  
  
"Yeah, kind of. We're going to have you use your talents and in exchange we won't press charges."  
  
"My talents?"  
  
"You know," he said as he made swiped across his neck with his finger. "There are some people out there we can't touch that don't deserve their freedom. Criminals of the worse kind. So, for the next five years, you'll be our go to gal. We tell you who, you go to and get rid of them. In the process, we'll even pay you. Hows one hundred thousand per job sound?"  
  
That was all she needed to hear. They sealed the deal with a hand shake. He informed her there would not be any paper work due to the legality of the subject which Nabiki was fine with.  
  
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(Thanks again for reading. Feel free to read and review [ideas on how to improve this story would be great!] I hope the addition help explain why Nabiki went this way. I wrote them for the reviewer 'Ghost in the Machine'. Honestly, I'm not sure I've ever gotten a good review from him, so that's my goal. To write a story that he would love. Here's hoping [crosses fingers for good luck.]) 


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